Shock absorbing bumper



ATTORNEY.

Patented June 1937 r V g ATENT OFFICE SHOCK ABSORBING BUMPER Harry Schreiber, Detroit, Mich.

Applicaticn June 19, 1936, Serial No. 86,086

14 Claims. (01. 29355) The present invention pertains to a novel Figure '7 is a section on the line 'I'I of Figshock absorbing bumper for automobiles. It has ure 1, and become customary to provide the frontand rear Figure 8 is a section on the line 88 of Figbumpers of automobiles with bumper guards ature 2.

tached thereto in a vertical position. These Reference to these views will now be made by 5 guards receive, for the most part, the shock to use of like characters that are employed to which the vehicle may be subjected. The shock designate corresponding parts throughout. is entirely absorbed in a rigid system, with the In Figure l is shown a transverse automobile result that certain parts are abused, bent or bumper I of conventional design. At suitable b k selected points along the bumper are mounted 10 The principal objectof the invention is to provertical brackets 2 attached by means presently g vide, in conjunction with the bumper guards, to be described. These members preferably a means for resiliently absorbing or cushioning Cupy the positions of the bumper guards noW the shock. This object is accomplished, gencommonly in use.

erally, by providing members, similar to the Inasmuch as the units are identical, it will 15 present bumper guards and mounting a shock be necessary to describe only one of them. Each bar a few inches in front of each guard. The bracket 2 is posi ertically against the shock bar is slidably supported by the bumper outer surface of the bumper and is preferably guard or an extended part thereof, and the resilformed with a socket 3 to receive the bump ient mounting for the shock bar is provided by At the opposite inner surface of the bumper is means of either coil or leaf springs. mounted a clamping plate 4 secured to the A further object of the invention is to mount bracket 2 by suitable fastening means generally the shock bars in such a manner that they will indicated by the numerali. In the modification perform their function whether struck at either shown in Figure 3, however, the bracket 2 has a end or in the center, without seriously straining central stud 6 passing through the bumper and or breaking any of the parts. This object is fitted atits free end witha nut I. accomplished by means of an articulated sup- At the upper and lower ends of the bracket port for each shock bar at each end thereof, as 2 are formed cylinders 8 extending horiz n lly will appear more fully in the detailed descriprearward above and beneath the bumper I, regi spectively. In the forward end of each cylinder Still another object of the invention is to is sliclably mounted a plunger 9 partly exposed enable adjustment of the absorption Springs to outside the cylinder. The forward end of the any desired tension. In the preferred construccylinder has an internal shoulder Ii] engageable tion, the coil springs are received in cylinders, at its rear side by a collar II on the plunger, so 35 and one end of each spring is engaged-by a that the plungercannot be forced or pulled out washer which may be moved lengthwise of the of the cylmder. cylinder by turning a screw. The movement of A ve Shock bar is Supported y the the washer obviously regulates the tension of forward outer ends of the plungers 9. The supthe spring port is made by means of cars I3 extending in- Other objects and characteristics of the inwardly from the bar I2 and studs I4 passed vention will appear as the description proceeds. through the ears and the adjacent plunger.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of ex- Each stud I l has one end threaded at [5 and ample in the following description and in the the other end formed with a screw driver slot accompanying drawing in which I6. The stud is held by screwing its threaded Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, partend into one of the ears I3.

ly in section; In each cylinder 8 is a coil spring I! bearing Figure 2 is a side elevation of a modification; against the inner end of a plunger. The spring Figure 3 is a side elevation, partlyin section, is 'insertedthrough the tapped inner end IQ of of still another modification; the cylinder, and the end is then closed by a Figure 4 is a section on the line 4- 3 of Fighollow and shouldered screw plug 20 having a '50 screw driver slot 2 I.

Figure 5 is a detail section showing the spring For adjustment of the coil spring, a washer adjustment; 22 is mounted within the plug and behind the Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6'of Figspring. This washer has lugs 23 slidably res5 ure 5; ceived in slots 24 cut in the inner walls of the cylinder, to prevent the washer from turning. The face of the plug 2e has a plain hole 25, and the washer has a co-axial tapped hole 28. A stud 2'1" is passed through the plain hole 25 and 5 has its threads 28 screwed in the tapped hole 26. Further, the stud has a collar 29 received between the washer 22 and the face of the screw plug and bearing against the latter. The outer end of the stud is flush with the outer face of the plug and is preferably formed with a screw-driver slot 39. Thus, on turning the stud, the washer travels in one direction or the other lengthwise of the cylinder to compress the spring or permit it to expand. The stud is preferably rather long in order to allow a wide range of adjustment.

When the bracket 2 is secured by a clamp plate 4, the latter is preferably formed at its ends with sockets 3i partially encircling the cylinders. The metal comprised in the sockets serves as a brace between the cylinders for reinforcing the same.

The hole through which one of the studs l4 passes is preferably elongated at 32 to provide the loose play necessary when the bar 12 is struck ofi center. This prevents breaking of the parts under such conditions. It may now be seen that, in the use of the device, the shock is absorbed by the two springs in proportion to its distribution above and below the center of the bar [2.

In the modification shown in Figure 2, the coil springs are replaced by a curved leaf spring having its center bearing against the bracket 35 2 and its ends 35 engaging the ends of the bar l2. The ends 36 of the spring are preferably forked at 3'5 to straddle the webs 38, whereby the ends of the spring are definitely located. To locate and maintain the center of the spring,

40 it is only necessary to form lugs 39 on the bracket 2 to engage opposite edges of the spring.

It will be seen that the shock absorbing bumper disclosed herein projects only a few inches beyond the position of the usual bumper guard.

The shock absorbing cylinders are located between the bumper and the body of the Vehicle where there is plenty of space for them.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be sounderstood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing 7 from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with the bumper bar of a motor vehicle, a shbck absorbing bumper comprising a bracket secured thereto, guides formed at the ends of said bracket, a plunger slidably mounted on each guide, a shock bar crossing said bumper bar and joined to said plungers, spring means tending to move said bar away from said bracket and guides, and co-operating stops provided on said guides and plungers.

2. In combination with the bumper bar of a motor vehicle, a shock absorbing bumper comprising a bracket secured thereto, guides formed at the ends of said bracket, a plunger slidably mounted on each guide, a shock bar crossing said bumper bar and joined to said plungers and articulated at both ends to said plungers, spring means tending to move said bar away from said bracket and guides, and co-operating stops provided on said guides and plungers.

3. In combination with the bumper bar of a 7 motor vehicle, a shock absorbing bumper comprising a bracket secured thereto, cylinders formed at the ends of said bracket, a plunger slidably mounted in each cylinder, a shock bar crossing said bumper bar and joined to said plungers, coil springs in said cylinders and bearing against said plungers to move said bar away from said bracket and cylinders, and co-operating stops provided on said cylinders and plungers.

4. In combination with the bumper bar of a motor vehicle, a shock absorbing bumper comprising a bracket secured thereto, cylinders formed at the ends of said bracket, a plunger slidably mounted in each cylinder, a shock bar crossing said bumper bar and articulated at both ends to said plungers, coil springs in said cylinders and bearing against said plungers to move said bar away from said bracket and cylinders, and co-operating stops provided on said cylinders and plungers.

5. In combination with the bumper bar of a motor vehicle, a shock absorbing bumper comprising a bracket secured thereto, cylinders formed at the ends of said bracket, a plunger slidably mounted in each cylinder, a shock bar crossing said bumper bar and joined to said plungers, coil springs in said cylinders and bearing against said plungers to move said bar away from said bracket and cylinders, co-operating stops provided on said cylinders and plungers, and means for adjusting the tension of said springs.

6. In combination with the bumper bar of a motor vehicle, a shock absorbing bumper comprising a bracket secured thereto, guides formed at the ends of said bracket, a plunger slidably mounted on each guide, a shock bar crossing said bumper bar and joined to said plungers, spring means tending to move said bar away from said bracket and guides, co-operating stops provided on said guides and plungers, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring means.

7. In combination with the bumper bar of a motor vehicle, a shock absorbing bumper comprising a bracket secured thereto, guides formed at the ends of said bracket, a plunger slidably mounted on each guide, a shock bar crossing said bumper bar and articulated at both ends to said plungers, spring means tending to move said bar away from said bracket and guides, co-operating stops provided on said guides and plungers, the articulation'between said bar and one of said plungers being loose to permit play when said bar is tilted.

8. In combination with the bumper bar of a motor vehicle, a shock absorbing bumper comprising a bracket supported by and secured to said bar, a shock bar crossing said bumper bar and slidably supported by said bracket, and spring means tending to move said bar away from said bracket.

9. In combination with the bumper bar of a motor vehicle, a shock absorber comprising a bracket secured to said bar, a shock bar crossing said bumper bar and slidably supported by said bracket, spring means tending to move said bar away from said bracket, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring means.

10. A shock absorbing bumper comprising a bracket, cylinders formed at the ends thereof, a plunger slidably mounted in each cylinder, a shock bar joined to said plungers, spring means tending to move said bar away from said bracket and cylinders, co-operating stops provided on said cylinders and plungers, a clamping plate for securing said bracket to a bumper, and socket members formed at the ends of said plate to receive and reinforce said cylinders.

11. In combination with the bumper bar of a motor vehicle, a shock absorbing bumper comprising a bracket, cylinders formed at the ends thereof, a plunger slidably mounted in each cylinder, a shock bar joined to said plungers, spring means tending to move said bar away from said bracket and cylinders, (ac-operating stops provided on said'cylinders and plungers, and clamping means securing said bracket to a bumper.

12. A shock absorbing bumper comprising a bracket, cylinders formed at the ends thereof, .a plunger slidably mounted in each cylinder, a shock bar articulated at both ends to said plungers, spring means tending to move said bar away from said bracket and cylinders, co-operating stops provided on said cylinders and plungers, and clamping means for securing said bracket to a bumper.

13. Incombination with a bumper bar of amotor vehicle, a shock absorbing bumper comprising a bracket, guides formed at the ends thereof, a plunger slidably mounted on. each guide, a vertically mounted shock bar joined to said plungers, spring means tending to move said bar away from said bracket and guides, and clamping means securing said bracket to a bumper.

14. In combination with a bumper bar of a motor vehicle, a shock absorbing bumper comprising a bracket, guides formed at the ends thereof, a plunger slidably mounted on each guide, a vertically mounted shock bar articulated at both ends to said plungers, spring means tending to move said bar away from said bracket and guides, and clamping means securing said bracket to a bumper.

HARRY SCHREIBER. 

